Then and Now

Artist: Red Rodney
Label: Chesky Records
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1

UPC: 090368007926
EAN: 0090368007926
ASIN: B000003GFP

Release Date: 1992-09-05

Related Categories:

Bebop General

| Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

General

| Jazz | Styles | Music

General

| Pop | Styles | Music

General

| Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Hard Bop

| Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

Tracks:

Woody 'N' You
Marmaduke
Little Suede Shoes
Un Poco Loco
The Scene Is Clean
Early Autumn
Confirmation
Congo Blues
If You Could See Me Now
Yard's Pad
Crazeology
The Interview

Customer Reviews:

Now's the Time.......2005-05-31

"Then" was primarily 1949-1951, when Red Rodney was a regular member of Charlie Parker's quintet; "Now" is 1992, when I was last privileged to hear Red, just two years prior to his death. At the time, Red sounded better to me than he had twenty years previous, when he was recovering from Las Vegas pit bands, embrochure problems, and a stroke. In fact, this 1992 session, along with his playing on the soundtrack of Clint Eastwood's "Bird," has got to be the best Red Rodney recorded post-1975 (his recording sessions with Ira Sullivan in the 1980's all manage to disappoint--look for the earlier "Red Arrow," retitled "Fiery").

Credit 20-year-old saxophone prodigy Chris Potter for much of the rejuvenation in Red's playing on this date. He places Red in the role of teacher while simultaneously challenging him. The arrangements of these classic bebop tunes are both fresh and excuted to perfection, though at times the updating is a trifle forced (the alternate, reharmonized bridge for Bird's "Confirmation" sounds reductive compared to the original) and Gary Dial's piano voicings occasionally seem "precious" (a Bill Evans' approach does not work equally well with all of these tunes). But fortunately none of the changes has an effect on Rodney and Potter, who solo with the fluent virtuosity of Diz and Bird.

In the liner notes Red goes to great lengths (as does another writer) to explain that the original tunes could not simply be replicated because jazz is about change. In a 9-minute interview concluding the CD, he does much the same. Unfortunate, because it all comes off a trifle defensive, even inviting some suspicion of these attempts to reinterpret the past. Let's hope that this important CD (Red's last great one and Chris Potter's auspicious debut) receives a new edition, and with less apologizing for the "now."

More then than now.......2000-09-12

Red Rodney was there when bebop was alive and well, up on the stand with the likes of Charlie Parker et al. He tries to recreate that music on this album, albeit with a modern twist. Sadly, the "now" part of the proceedings lie entirely with the young bandmembers Rodney has surrounded himself with, for there is little modernity in his own playing. A young Chris Potter sounds a little inexperienced in all his enthusiasm, but the talent is clearly there. Pianist Garry Dial doesn't play like the old-fashioned bebop pianists at all, his playing is definitely modern AND highly melodic. As a high fidelity re-recording of some of bebop's most famous tunes, this album does the trick, but Rodney's playing somehow sounded more energetic on the old Prestige-albums. Rodney discusses the members in the band, and every track seperately. There is also a very nice interview track at the end of the disc, which is a worthwile bonus.

Music CD:

Music CD

Music CD

Music CD

I Want Your Body

Dirty Little Secret ~ The All-American Rejects

The American Dream ~ Emitt Rhodes

Hey 19 ~ Aden

Ready to Fire ~ Zoltan

Johnny Burnette Sings/The Johnny Burnette Story ~ Johnny Burnette

Mysteerien Maailma ~ Suuri Shamaani

Antwone Fisher (Score) ~ Mychael Danna

Sneakin' in, Vol. 1 ~ Various Artists

Ombre Est Lumiére ~ IAM